We’re finally making some progress east in our continuing series on this nation’s 529 college savings plans. Today, we move into the plains states and tackle the four plans Nebraska has to offer.

Corn Huskers can look forward to a few great options within their state's 529 college savings plans, and the plan is not limited to just Nebraskanites. Let's look at the details.

There are four plans to choose from in Nebraska:

• Nebraska Education Savings Trust (or NEST): Advisor College Savings Plan
• Nebraksa Education Savings Trust: Direct College Savings Plan

Moving forward in our definitions series, we once again look at a stock definition: return on assets. This measurement, found in your stock of choice's financial ratios page, tells you a lot about the profit of the company. Let's look at this ratio a little closer.

Return on Assets Overview

This week has been absolutely beautiful! There were multiple 50 degree days, the sun was shining, and it felt much more like spring than mid-January. I say, bring on the most wonderful winter in the world, Mother Nature.

Unfortunately, this awesome weather isn’t supposed to last long. Tonight, we are supposed to see our outdoor thermometer hit 10 degrees, and we’ll get the first real snowfall of the winter.

If you're in the market for a home, you might have a few questions about the ins and outs of the mortgage world. Here at MomVesting, we've covered some basic mortgage topics already, but we have not yet tackled the second mortgage. So let's take a look at this sometimes integral portion of the home-buying process.

Open-Ended and Closed-End Loans

It's oftentimes very easy to let personal celebrations slide when life gets busy or you're on a budget. Especially when children enter the mix. Buying that jumbo pack of diapers just might seem higher on the priority list than, say, going out for an anniversary dinner with your husband. But it doesn't have to be one or the other, if you and the hubby are a little creative about your anniversary plans. Let's look at a few ways to cut costs while snuggling up to your spouse for a romantic evening.

Coupon It!

For those of you still with me after reading that title: naw, it isn't a real group, and PETA probably wouldn't heartily or readily approve. All fun aside, however, there is such a thing as using coupons ethically or, in other words, ethical couponing.

A while back, we started to give banking and bankruptcy the MomVesting "simple does it" treatment. That is, we started to look at banking and its terms in a pared down, basic light. Today, we continue what we started, this time focusing on secured and unsecured debts. Without further adieu, here is what you'll want to know about these important banking terms.

Secured Debts

This week has been much calmer. Now that all of the holiday excitement is over, it’s nice to sit back and allow my days to return to an amazing sense of normalcy, complete with goals to accomplish every day, exercise to stick to, and planning to complete. I welcome the set schedule once again. At least for a little while.

In six months, my schedule will be thrown for the biggest loop of my life. As my husband and I welcome our first baby into the house, our formerly scheduled lives will be sure to become one huge mesh of baby’s needs. It’ll be a mess. But it will be a much-welcome mess!

Recently, one of my friends on Facebook posted that her New Year's resolution was going to be to quit whining about how difficult things were and to just do it. I really, really liked this. Sure, life is hard at times, challenging at best during others. Facing whatever it has to throw at us with an attitude to "just do it" is a nice way to start out 2012. Here, I've taken a look at a few more of life's areas that could use some resolutions as we move into another year.

Re: Finances

As everyone knows, the offer of a raise is usually very welcome. In fact, I don’t know any people who will turn down a cost of living raise. However, when that raise comes with some give on your part (let’s say in the form of moving across the country), the decision may be a little more difficult to make, for both you and your spouse. Let’s take a look at this idea in more detail, including how to weigh your options together.

The Offer